Never Judge

"Behave for you Uncle Zimo and his friend." Ilya told his son, Nikolai as he made sure his son was dressed properly. 

Angelo and Yu Zimo patiently stood by the door as they watch a father say goodbye to his son. 

To any passer by it would seem like this was your average farewell as a little boy was off to spend the night with his uncle, but beneath the surface there was much more going on.

Angelo knew that there was a chance that Ilya would never get to see his son again. 

"I will papa." Nikolai promised as he hugged his father and ran over to Angelo and Yu Zimo who were each carrying one of Nikolai's bags. 

"Don't worry, Ilya, I'll watch over him." Yu Zimo promised as Nikolai walked over to them, holding his hand tight.

Ilya looked at the two men and the young boy and gave them a sad smile. 

It was as if he knew the results of tomorrow's meeting already. 

"Thank you." Ilya said as he silently walked with Angelo, Yu Zimo, and Nikolai to the car.

As they stood by the car door, Ilya seemed to want to say something.

It was clear from the look on his eyes that there was something he feared and wanted to talk to Yu Zimo about.

"Why don't you get Nikolai settled in the car." Yu Zimo said as he tossed Angelo his car keys. "I think Ilya and I need to have a word."

Angelo silently nodded as he opened the trunk of Yu Zimo's car and piled up Nikolai's belongings.

"Mr. An, my dad seems extra sad today." Nikolai told the older man as Angelo looked back at the two men who were speaking at a distance.

"I'm sure he's just sad to be away from you." Angelo told Nikolai as he slammed the trunk and led Nikolai to the back seat of the car.

He looked up and saw that Yu Zimo and Ilya seemed nowhere near ending their conversation, so he decided to speak to the child a little more.

Maybe it could help them turn Ilya against Colin Jao.

"So do you stay at Uncle Zimo's place often?" Angelo asked as he slid into the backseat with Nikolai.

"Mmmm, a bit." Nikolai said as he thought carefully before answering Angelo's question. "But I like spending time with Uncle Zimo, we play games and he takes me to amusement parks and malls. I also like Uncle Zimo's place, it's much nicer than ours."

Angelo nodded as he realized that Ilya seemed to often be in precarious situations due to the work he did for Collin Jao.

"Do you stay long with Uncle Zimo?" Angelo further questioned.

"Nope, usually it's just a day or two, Dad never packed me these many things." Nikolail said as a worried look crossed his young face. "Do you think Dad will take long? I like Uncle Zimo, but I like spending time with Dad more."

Angelo caught himself as he was about to frown. 

He was certain that Ilya wouldn't be gone for just a day or two.

Based on his experience, it took much longer to crack a man like Ilay. 

"I'm sure time will pass quickly since you'll be having fun with Uncle Zimo." Angelo told Nikolai as he tried to deviate from the truth. 

"Uncle Zimo and you! I like you, you're nice and you have a nice face." Nikolai pointed out.

"Thanks." Angelo said with an awkward smile, not knowing what to tell the child. 

Just as he was about to continue asking Nikolai questions, Yu Zimo and Ilya returned. It was clear that whatever discussion they had was a heavy one, because both men didn't seem to be relieved by their discussion.

"Remember to behave, I'll call you when I'm on my way home." Ilya told his son as he gave the child one last hug before letting Angelo and Yu Zimo leave with his son.

As they drove off, Yu Zimo asked Angelo to fish something out of his glove compartment. It was a small juice packet, most likely something prepared by Yu Zimo for instances such as there.

"Here Nikolai, do you want some?" Yu Zimo asked Nikolai as he handed the juice packet to the boy.

"Yes, thank you Uncle Zimo!" Nikolai said as he excitedly took the drink and quickly consumed it.

They hadn't driven far when Angelo noticed that Nikolai had fallen sound asleep in the backseat of the car.

"It's fine, we can talk now." Yu Zimo said as he looked at the clock in the car. "I had to put some medication in his drink."

"Why is it that Ilya kept trying to imply that we," Angelo said as he gestured between him and Yu Zimo. "Are more than just friends?"

Yu Zimo chuckled and shook his head.

"Because Ilya is a painfully jealous boyfriend and the only way I could see my best friend, Nikolai's mother is if I pretended to be gay."

"And you have now dragged me into this mess?" Angelo asked with a sigh. "Even the child thinks we might be more than friends."

"He won't for long." Yu Zimo said with a sigh as they neared Guan Ming's residence.

"You are seriously taking him here? Not to one of your empty apartments?" Angelo asked.

He had managed to figure out based on what Nikolai told him that Yu Zimo would take the child to one of his empty apartments in the city.

"No, not this time." Yu Zimo said, shaking his head. "The stakes are too high and I will not allow that child to be harmed."

Angelo nodded in understanding. 

Yu Zimo clearly cared about Nikolai as if he was his own, something that made Angelo suspicious, but he chose not to say anything else. 

When they arrived, Yu Zimo ordered the staff to take Nikolai's things to the neighboring guest house, a residence Angelo came to learn was actually where Yu Zimo lived.

As they walked back to the residence they bumped into Al who looked at Nikolai curiously. 

"Let me put him to bed, then we will talk." Yu Zimo simply said as he walked past the two men with a child in his arms.